BBC SPORT | Rugby League | Laws & Equipment | How to score points How to score points There are four main ways to score in rugby league: Try - four points A try is worth four points - the maximum number of points you can score in one go in rugby league. It is scored when a player puts the ball on the ground with "downward pressure" (very important) inside the opposition's in-goal area between the try line and dead ball line. If a defender makes an offence while the opposition are about to score a try, then the referee can award a penalty kick in front of the posts after the conversion kick. This means the opposition can score eight points if they are successful in scoring the try, the goal kick and the penalty kick. But if the try was not scored because of the offence, the referee will award a penalty try in front of the posts, as well as the extra penalty kick. Goal kick - two points A team is awarded a goal kick after a try has been scored. The team has the chance to "convert" the kick at goal for two further points. The kick is taken from a point level with where the try was scored.

The kick is successful if the ball goes between the opposition's goalposts and above the crossbar. Penalty - two points The referee will award a penalty when an offence has occurred. A player can punt, drop kick or take a place kick anywhere behind where the offence took place. They also have the choice of kicking for goal or for touch. A kick for goal is worth two points if successful. But to be successful, the ball has to go through the opposition's goalposts, above the crossbar. Two touch judges will raise their flags if the penalty is successfully kicked. If the team who gave away the penalty argue or commit further offences, the referee will punish them by taking the penalty 10 metres forward towards their goal-line. The team kicking also gets a new set of six tackles to play with. Play is re-started by placing the ball on the ground 10 metres into the field of play, parallel to where the ball went out to touch. Teams can kick in any direction even backwards if they want to find space for a set play. Drop goal - one point A drop goal can be a spectacular way of scoring. If successful it will add one point to a team's score.

A drop goal is scored when a player kicks the ball from hand through the opposition's goal posts, above the crossbar. However, the ball must touch the ground between being dropped and kicked. BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | Laws & Equipment | Five points for a try Five points for a try A try is the most exciting way of scoring in rugby union. They are worth five points - the maximum number of points you can score in one go in rugby union. A try is scored when a player touches the ball down inside the opposition's in-goal area between the try line and dead ball line. This area includes the goal-line itself (but not the side or backlines) and the posts (even if the part of the post touched is not over the goal-line). A player must either Touch the ground with the ball - the player touches the ground with the ball while holding it in the hand or arms. No downward pressure is required. Press down on the ball - if the ball is on the ground in the in-goal area the player must apply downward pressure "with a hand or hands, arm or arms, or the front of the body from waist to neck inclusive".

It is quite often hard to tell if downward pressure has been applied if the player is chasing a bouncing ball. In international matches, the referee can refer the decision to a colleague in the stands who can watch a television replay. If a defensive player touches the ball first, the referee will award a 22-metre drop out (unless the defensive player carried or threw the ball into the in-goal area in the first place, in which case a five-metre scrum is awarded, with the feed awarded to the attacking side). The referee can award a penalty try (five points) if a player would probably have scored a try but for foul play by an opponent. The try is said to have been scored between the posts (so the conversion kick is taken directly in front of goal). If a player is tackled short of the goal-line, but can still reach over to ground the ball, or if their momentum carries them over, a try is awarded. PUSHOVER TRY If a scrum or ruck is pushed into the in-goal, an attacking player may legally ground the ball as soon as the ball reaches or crosses the goal-line and a pushover try is scored.

Rugby Football History All Blacks Barbarians Canada British & Irish Lions Ireland Scotland Springboks USA Wales Wallabies Introduction In early rugby as played at rugby school, the only scores came from goals and there was no points value associated with scoring. The 1845 rules stated that in order to take a punt at goal (this had to be a 'place kick' not a' drop kick') a "TRY at goal" had to be earned by touching the ball down between the posts. The ball was then "punted" over the bar and between the posts without touching the dress or person of any player and in the face of onrushing defenders. The 1862 rules provide a detailed description of the complexities regarding touching down and scoring the goal. 1871 The first RFU laws state that 'A match shall be decided by a majority of goals only'. March 1875 a proposal for a points scoring system was rejected, as was a proposal that three tries should equal one goal. November 1875 the law was modified to 'A match shall be decided by a majority of goals, but if the number of goals is equal or no goals be kicked, by a majority of tries'.

1876 Cheltenham College adopted RFU rules but still continued to use their own points based scoring system (they referred to points as rouges). 1877 'When a goal is kicked from a try, only the goal is scored'. 1881 & 1882 Proposals were made for the RFU to introduce a points based scoring system: 1881 (rejected):-"A match shall be decided by majority of points, which are calculated as follows - a touchdown, a touch in goal and a dead-ball all equal in value and each count one point; a try counts 4 points, and a goal kicked from a try 12 points or equal to three tries, and a goal dropped or kicked from the field of play 8 points or two tries.

When a goal is kicked from a try the goal only is scored." 1882 (rejected):- "A match shall be decided by points as under: - A goal direct from a place kick from a try shall count 8 pts; A goal dropped from the field of play, 6 pts; A goal from a flying kick 4 points; a try 4 points; a touchdown, a dead ball, or a touch in goal, 1 point each. The team obtaining a majority of four more points to be declared the winner. Any less majority than 4 points to count as a drawn game." Prior to 1886 various clubs assigned their own points system. The practice of Touching down the ball behind your own goal line was awarded a Point, sometimes referred to as the "Minor Point" or "Rouge". This should not be confused with the Cheltenham scoring system which referred to points in general as rouges. Many football annuals of this vintage will show scores consisting of Goals, Tries and Minor points (rouges). Although there was no generally accepted scoring system which contained the minor point (rouge) some unions did adopt it.

But in 1886 a pattern favoured at Cheltenham School was adopted by the RFU, whereby points were scored for a try, a conversion goal and a dropped goal. 1886 (accepted):-"A match shall be decided by a majority of points, a goal shall equal three points, and a try one point. If the number of points be equal, or no goal kicked or try obtained, the match shall be drawn. Where a goal is kicked from a try the goal only is scored." Later penalty kicks were introduced, allowing teams disadvantaged by illegal play to kick for goal and score points if successful. October 1888 "Fair catch" (mark) introduced. Laws amended to introduce 2nd type of goal (of lesser value). 'A match shall be decided by a majority of points. A goal shall equal 3 points, with the exception of a goal kicked from a kick awarded by way of penalty, which shall equal 2 points, and a try 1 point. If the number of points is equal or no goals be kicked or try obtained, the match shall be drawn.

When a goal is kicked from a try, the goal only is scored.' September 1891 The IRFB responsible for: 'A match shall be decided by a majority of points. A try shall equal 2 points, a penalty goal 3 points, a goal from a try (the try not also to count) 5 points. Any other goal shall equal 4 points. If the number of points is equal or no goal is kicked or try obtained, the match shall be drawn.' March 1893 RFU & WRU raise try from two to three points. The value of the conversion is also changed from three to two points, meaning that the value of a converted try remains five points. IRFB adopt this scheme the following year. March 1905 Field goal is abolished. 'A try equals 3 points. A goal from a try (in which case the try shall not count) equals 5 points. A dropped goal (except from a mark or penalty kick) equals 4 points. Goal from a mark or penalty kick equals 3 points.' A field goal was scored when the ball was kicked between the posts during open play. March 1948 'A try 3 points.

A goal from a try (in which case the try shall not count) 5 points. A goal from a free kick or penalty kick 3 points. A dropped goal otherwise obtained 3 points.' 1958/59 - It never ceases to amaze me how many different versions of the 'history of scoring' there seem to be in various books etc. The above table represents my current understanding. The main problems associated with recording the history of scoring results primarily from the fact that each home union originally had its own laws although the RFU's laws were usually adopted, there was no International Board until 1890 and the IB's laws were not used for non-internationals until 1930. See laws NB. In the table above I've shown the points for a try/conversion as accumulative, this is for ease of comparison reasons. Strictly speaking a separate score for a goal after the try was scored was not introduced by the IB until 1979 and prior to that the 'goal from a try' substituted any points awarded for the try itself e.g.

using that method you would show 1891-1892 as 2 points for a try and 5 points for the conversion goal (converted try would be worth 5 points. Notes: 1. In June 1871, the first RFU law stated that a game would be decided by the number of 'goals' scored only. 2. In March 1875, a proposal for a points scoring system and another that three tries should equal a goal were rejected. 3. In November 1875, a game was decided by whichever team scored the most goals and if that was equal, trys. In 1877 this was modified so that if a try was converted to a goal then it was only counted as a goal. 4. In October 1886, a points system was introduced which followed the Cheltenham college system. 3 for a goal and 1 for a try. But if a try was converted, 3 points were awarded for the conversion (goal) which replaced the 1 point awarded for the try i.e. the team scored 1 point for a try and 3 for a converted try (goal).

In the table above I've shown the points as accumulative e.g. 1886 a converted try (goal) = 3 points (1 + 2). 5. Fair catch or mark introduced in 1888. 6. In 1888, a free kick awarded as a penalty for off-side could be made into a goal. 7. The International Board in 1889 (which England had not yet joined) stated that a goal from a try was awarded 4 points, a dropped goal or one from a fair catch 3 points and a try 2 points.They declined to award any points for a penalty goal. The dispute between England and the IB was referred to arbitrators who decided the Laws then existing in England should be adopted for that year, with the exception that there should be no penalty of a free kick if the ball was knocked forward from a throw in from touch. England then joined the IB (1890) so things got a little less complicated for internationals from that point onwards. 8. Scotland proposed in 1900 that the penalty goal should only equal 2 points but the proposal was rejected. 9.

The change of a try from 2 to 3 was made by the RFU and the Welsh union in 1893 but the IRB adopted it in 1894. 10. In 1905, England proposed and Wales supported that the points for a drop goal be reduced but this was rejected by Scotland and Ireland and so it was rejected. 11. Field goals, which started at 3 points were changed to 4 points and stayed at that value for nearly 60 years (1891 to 1948), before finally being reduced by a point. 12. A try was increased by the IRFB to 4 points for a trial period of 2 years in the Northern hemisphere and was formally adopted in 1973. 13. Try also includes the 'penalty try' where a try is awarded if unfair play by the defending side avoided an almost certain try (same value as try). 14. The goal from mark ceased to exist when the free-kick clause was introduced 1977-78.

Goals from marks were rare but valid scoring actions counting for three points until the free-kick clause was introduced to the Laws in September 1977. Before that date a mark for a fair catch could be made anywhere on the field. The player making the catch could opt to kick a goal. Since 1977 a mark can only be claimed by a defender inside his 22, with a free kick to follow. So even if a kicker had the distance to land a goal from his 22, it would not count. Some definitions: Try. When an attacking player is first to ground the ball in the opponents’ in-goal, a try is scored. Penalty Try. If a player would probably have scored a try but for foul play by an opponent, a penalty try is awarded between the goal posts. Originally included in the laws in 1888. Conversion Goal. When a player scores a try it gives the player’s team the right to attempt to score a goal by taking a kick at goal; this also applies to a penalty try. This kick is a conversion kick: a conversion kick can be a place kick or a drop-kick. Penalty Goal.

A player scores a penalty goal by kicking a goal from a penalty kick. Dropped Goal. A player scores a dropped goal by kicking a goal from a drop-kick in general play. The team awarded a free kick cannot score a dropped goal until the ball next becomes dead, or until an opponent has played or touched it, or has tackled the ball-carrier. This restriction applies also to a scrum taken instead of a free kick. Rugby tries - how and where you score tries in rugby Rugby tries When you play rugby you get most points for rugby tries. Be confident you know how and where you score tries and help get extra points for conversions. Tries Win games Playing in a rugby game is great fun. Winning isn't everything,... especially in rugby - but it is a great feeling to be on the winning side! The aim of each team is to win the game by scoring more points than the opposing team. The best and most exciting way to score is to be awarded a try. It's also known as scoring a try. It`s so exciting some players get "white line fever".

It means they get so fixated on getting the ball over the goal line they don`t take options that are best for the team and maybe bomb the chance of a try altogether! You get 5 points when you score a try. How you score them You score a try when you move the ball into the in-goal of the other team and "ground" the ball. That is the only place a try is scored. If you ground the ball in your own ingoal area it is not a try. There is no such thing as an "own try" There are many ways of moving the ball into the in-goal area. You can do it either by carrying it after breaking through the defence, maybe using some of your skills in rugby passing. Rugby sidesteps are also good for breaking through the opposition defences. Or you can kick it A number of kicks which might be used are... the up and under - a very high kick the rolling grubber kick or the bouncing grubber kick a chip kick chased by the kicker or other players Remember to build all your catching, passing and kicking skills. Visit the skills pages to find out how. Grounding the ball for a try There are only two ways of grounding the ball.

A player holding the ball in one or both hands or one or both arms, touches the ball on the playing surface in the area called 'in-goal' The rugby ball, already on the ground in the in-goal area receives downward pressure from a player's hand or hands, arm or arms or the front of the body from neck to waist inclusive "Converting" When a try has been scored, two (2) additional points can be scored by kicking the ball so that it goes both over the bar and between the uprights of the goalposts. You normaly use a place kick because it is more accurate... ...but you may use a drop kick if you wish (may save time because you need less preparation). If the kick is successful the try is "converted" and extra points are awarded (scored). The kick is taken in line with where the try was scored. To make the angle of the kick easier, you can kick from as far away from the goal-line as you like. but the kick is then much longer. Scoring a try near the posts makes it easier to get the extra points for converting. Tries near the posts are easier to convert Get a try at "A", out on the wing. Good but hard to convert.

Get a try at "B", Better than at "A". But still not easy. Get a try at "C" - Best! It's straight in front, easy to convert. So, when scoring tries, remember the kicker and the extra points... Even after crossing the goal-line you can run towards the posts to get as near as you can to the posts before grounding the ball. The nearer the goal posts the better - but actually scoring the try is the most important thing! Make absolutely certain you get the ball down on the ground. If they manage to stop the ball touching the ground...NO TRY! One more thing, if the goal posts get in the way you can "ground" the ball against the posts or the padding on the posts and it`s still a TRY! They are considered to be part of the goal line. Concentrate on getting them Scoring a try is exciting. It may be your own brilliant solo effort or many players involved , but overall it belongs to the whole team. You have a responsibility to your team-mates to make your best effort to score. Many players forget this. Instead they have their minds on personal glory and celebration. That is a big mistake!

See it on YouTube Show respect for your team-mates and the opposition. When you are in position to score a try, JUST DO IT... (avoid delay!) ...and let other players know that`s all you want from them! Scoring in Rugby | Vienna Youth Inc. - Rugby SCORING IN RUGBY How do you score in rugby? In American football, it is only necessary for the ball to cross the plane of the goal line. In rugby, the ballcarrier must touch the ball to the ground on or over the goal line (try zone). When the ball is touched to the ground by an attacking player, he (or she) scores a "TRY"! You may gave seen players diving over the goal line to touch the ball down. That works, and so does running across (or not) and simply placing the ball on the ground. The ball must not be dropped out of the hands. If a player crosses the goal line but fails to touch the ball to the ground (tackled out of bounds, or runs over the end line), then no try is scored. How else can you score in rugby? After a try is scored, the scoring team can take a conversion kick at goal.

Unlike American football, where the conversion kick is taken from in between the goal posts, the rugby conversion kick is taken anywhere on a line straight out from where the ball is touched down. For this reason, it is important to touch the ball down as close to the center of the goal posts. Equally important, defenders should prevent the ballcarrier from getting to the middle to make the conversion kick as difficult as possible. What about field goals? There are no field goals in rugby, but there are penalty goals and drop goals. If the referee awards a penalty, the team may elect to kick a penalty goal. The penalty goal may be kicked from a tee or from a drop kick. A drop goal is scored during the course of play where the player drops the ball to the ground and kicks it as it touches the ground., A goal cannot be scored by punting the ball through the goal posts. How many points are scored in these situations? Try = 5 points. Conversion goal = 2 points. Penalty goal = 3 points. Drop goal = 3 points. © 2017 LeagueAthletics.com, LLC. and Vienna Youth Inc. - Rugby (1937). All rights reserved.

Visitor # 207,153 x New Privacy Policy We have made changes to our Privacy Policy . By using this site you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service . Rules Of Rugby Rules of Rugby The Game A rugby union game is called a ‘Match’. It is a competition between two teams Each match lasts for 80 minutes plus time added to account for injuries and stoppages during the game. A match consists of two halves of 40 minutes each. It is controlled by a single referee on the firld of play, two assistant referees (touch judges), and in professional matches, a match official called the video referee who can use television replays to rule on a particular incident. The object of the entire game is that each team scores as many points as possible. The team with the greater number of points when time is over wins the match. Scoring Points are scored by either scoring a try or a goal. A try is only scored when the player takes the ball across the goal line and grounds the ball. Grounding happens when the ball is on the ground and the player’s hand is on the ball. This ‘try’ is worth 5 points.

A goal is scored by kicking the ball between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goal posts. T here are three ways to score a goal: a dropped goal (scored in open play where the ball must hit the ground immediately before it is kicked); a penalty goal (awarded after the opposing side infringes against the laws of rugby and may be kicked from a stationary ground position or by drop kick); and a conversion (awarded after a try is scored) by either a drop kick or a place kick. A penalty or dropped goal is worth 3 points; a conversion is worth 2 points. The Playing Area The pitch must have 100 meters or less between the goalposts and an in-goal area behind each post. The length of the in-goal must be between 10 meters 22 meters. The pitch must be less than or equal to 70 meters wide. The goal posts are ‘H’ shaped and are placed in the middle of the goal line. The two uprights are placed exactly 5.6 metres apart and the crossbar that links them is 3 meters above the ground.

Playing the game The team currently with the ball (called ‘having possession’) moves the ball up the field toward his opponent’s goal line or to try for a dropped goal. These are the only two ways a team can score in ‘open play’. In moving the ball up the field, the team with possession meets with the defending team who wish to stop their opponent’s progress; or take control of the ball (A ‘turn over’) attack the other goal This process is repeated until Someone violates the Laws of the game – a foul; the ball moves off the field of play – into touch; or a try or goal is scored. Ball Travel The team in possession may choose to advance by kicking the ball forward. The ball may be passed from one player’s hand to another as long as the ball does not travel forwards in the pass. Rugby union is one of the few ball games where the ball cannot be passed forwards. Offside Any player who is part of the attacking team must be behind the ball to take an active part in the game. A player taking up a position between the ball carrier and the opposition goal is offside and may not join the game or interfere with play.

Tackling The defending team who wants to take possession will tackle the ball carrier to stop him and make him release the ball. A tackle consists of grabbing hold of the opposing player and bringing them to ground. A tackled player must either pass or release the ball otherwise a foul is called. Releasing the ball allows the opposition to contest possession of the loose ball in open play. Play continues like this until a rule is broken or the ball goes out of play. Line Out If the ball goes into touch it is thrown back into play. This may be taken quickly from one player to a member of his own team. More usual is the ‘line-out‘; here, both teams line up in equal numbers, one metre apart and contest a ball thrown between them. Restarts If the game stops because a rule has been broken, play restarts with either a scrum, free kick or penalty kick The decision whether to award a Penalty Kick or a Free kick rests with the refereeing team and is dependent on the nature and severity of the infringement. A penalty is a more severe award than a free kick Kicking for Goal The attacking team may score by kicking the ball between the posts and above the cross-bar.

When attempting to kick for goal the ball may only be kicked from the ground: In the case of a place such as a penalty kick the ball can sit in a small plastic cradle or pile of sand. From open play, the player drops the ball to the ground and kicks it – this takes skill and timing. A successful kick at goal is worth three points. Scoring a Try The most prized and most valuable scoring method is a ‘try’ attained by grounding the ball in the in-goal area behind the goal line. This is worth five points. Conversion After scoring a try, the attacking team are awarded the opportunity to have a free kick at the goal. This is called a conversion The conversion kick is taken from a point between the two sets of posts directly in line with where the ball touched the ground for the try. The ball may be any distance away from the posts as long as it is along that line.

Kicking the ball between the two upright posts makes a ‘converted try’ and brings an additional two points How Players Can Score in Rugby - dummies How Players Can Score in Rugby How Players Can Score in Rugby How Players Can Score in Rugby Part of Rugby Union For Dummies Cheat Sheet (Australia/New Zealand Edition) While the basic aim of rugby is to score a try, players can get points on the board in many different ways. You can score points as follows: A try is worth five points, which is the most number of points you can score at once. A penalty try is worth exactly the same as a normal try — five points. A converted try is worth seven points: Five points are awarded for the initial try and two more are awarded when the goal kicker kicks the ball over the crossbar. A field goal earns the goal kicker’s team three points. A penalty goal is worth three points. Rugby's Scoring System | iSport.com Rugby's Scoring System Rugby's Scoring System At its most basic level, the objective in rugby is to have more points than the other team at the end of the match. True enough … but certain questions still remain: How are points scored? How many points is each way of scoring worth?

What literally has to happen to be awarded points? All these questions, and hopefully many others, will be answered in this guide. Depending on your familiarity with the game, there may be some terms in this guide that seem a bit confusing. For extra information/explanation about many of the parts of rugby covered here, it’s recommended that you also have a look at these guides/pages: The Mechanisms of Rugby : An overview of all the different elements of the game, with more technical information. The Scrum: An Overview and Understanding Kicking & Lineouts : A detailed explanation about what set plays are, what they do, and how they work. A Glossary of Rugby Terms : Not a guide, but a rugby dictionary where you can find the meaning to a collection of rugby specific words. At last count, there were approximately 150 terms defined. The Try A Try is the main way of scoring points in a rugby match. It’s officially awarded when the ball carrier grounds the ball in the other team’s in-goal zone. Five points are awarded to the team of the player that scores a try. What You’ll See The ball carrier runs towards the other team’s in-goal zone.

One of two things usually happens next: If there are opposing players near/on the ball carrier, the ball carrier will dive toward the in-goal zone and “ground” the ball by touching it to the ground. Sometimes players dive in even if there are defending players nearby but not close enough to prevent a try from being scored. If the ball carrier has outrun all the opposing players, he/she will purposefully run to the middle of the other team’s in-goal zone. This is because the spot of the conversion kick (explained later) is decided by the spot that the ball is grounded in the in-goal zone. Grounding the ball in the middle means the conversion kick happens from straight on, rather than to one side or the other. After the try is scored, play stops for the conversion kick, then is resumed with a kick-off. The Conversion Goal The Conversion Goal is worth two points and happens after one team scores a try. The conversion goal is basically a chance for the team that scored to get bonus points as a reward for scoring in the first place. What You'll See One player from the team that scored the try will attempt to kick the ball through a set of uprights.

The ball is placed at a spot 10 meters out from where the ball was grounded in the in-goal zone. In other words, the player who scored walks 10 meters from the try line (beginning of the in-goal zone), and that would be the closest spot where the conversion kick could take place. Opposing players must all line up behind their try line. They must stand still and refrain from trying to force a bad kick by making distracting noises or movements directed at the kicker. The kicker will attempt to kick the ball through the uprights. The ball will be stationary on the ground, usually propped up by a kicking tee. As soon as the kicker moves forward to start the kick, opposing players can rush forward and try to block the kick. If the kick goes through the uprights, the kicker’s team gets two more points. If not, no points are awarded. Either way, play stops until the ball is kicked off. The Penalty Goal A is very similar to a conversion goal. When one team commits a penalty, the referee will provide the other (non-offending) team with its options. One such option is to try for a penalty goal.

In this case, play stops and a player from the non-offending team attempts to kick the ball through the uprights from the spot of the penalty. What You'll See When a penalty is committed and the non-offending team chooses to try a penalty goal, a player from that team will indicate it, usually by telling the referee and/or by pointing at the ground near the spot of the penalty. All players on the penalized team must retreat at least 10 meters towards their goal line. A few players usually go all the way back to their own in-goal zone, in case the kick misses. The kicking player will place the ball on the tee and kick it, trying to get the ball through the uprights. If it’s successful, it’s worth three points and followed by a kick-off to resume play. It if misses and stays in play, normal play resumes. If it misses and goes out of bounds, the other team gets the chance to kick the ball away from their in-goal zone and into touch (out of bounds). To resume play, a line-out happens at the spot where the ball went into touch. The Drop Goal A Drop Goal is when a player drop kicks the ball during normal play and it goes through the uprights.

Any player, at any spot on the pitch, can attempt a drop goal, as long as it’s attempted during normal play. It’s worth two points. What You'll See The ball carrier will drop the ball immediately in front of his/her feet. Just as it hits the ground and starts to bounce, that player kicks it towards the opposing team’s uprights. What happens from there depends on how the ball flies: If it goes through the uprights, the kicker’s team gets two points and play stops, to be resumed by a kick-off. If it misses and stays in play, play continues as normal. If it misses and goes into touch, a line-out takes place where the ball went out. The non-kicking team throws the ball back into play. Use What You've Learned Hopefully you’ve expanded your technical knowledge of the game quite a bit, but keep in mind: The best way to retain this new knowledge and build on it is to apply it by watching rugby. The more rugby you watch, the more you will be able to understand the game. When you think about it, this is a win-win situation. You learn about the game and watch rugby at the same time!

Share this Guide: How to Play Rugby (with Pictures) - wikiHow How to Play Rugby Three Parts: Understanding the Basics Learning the Basic Skills Setting Up a Game Community Q&A Rugby is a complicated, intense game, which consists of 15 players on each team on a field of 100 meters long and 70 meters wide. The basic rules are not so difficult that you need a lifetime to learn them, however you still need a couple of hours game-time to be able to understand the structure and game-play of Rugby. The concept of a game of Rugby is simple: two teams try and gain the most points in 80 minutes by trying to score points in the other team's half. The ball can never be passed forward only backwards or perpendicular, a team can only advance by passing or kicking the ball. Any team can win the ball at any time, this is usually done by the forward pack which consists of 8 players, You also have a Back-line which consists of 7 Players. The forward pack is made up by Two Props(1 and 3), one Hooker(2), Two Locks(4-5) and Three Loose forwards(6,7,8).

The Back-line is up made up by the Scrum Half(9), Fly-Half(10), Left-wing(11)Inside-center(12), Outside-Center(13), Right-Wing(14) and the Full-Back(15). The details of the game, however, may need some explaining. Note: This article is about playing the most common form of rugby, Rugby Union. Steps Understanding the Basics 1 Win by scoring more points than your opponent. Score tries by carrying the ball into Your opponent's try-zone, ( penalty tries can also be awarded from any infringements from the opposing team.) A try is worth 5 points. When a try is scored an opportunity is given to the scoring team to make a conversion kick which is worth 2 points. The other way of gaining extra points for Your team is with penalty kicks, this is awarded when a member of the opposing team breaks a rule or if the play of the game is stopped by more than one member of that team. a Penalty kick is worth 3 Points.

The last method of gaining points is with a drop-goal attempt, the ball is played backwards to a back-row player who then attempts to place the ball in between the uprights during ongoing game play, this is also worth 3 points. 2 The field is cut in half, and at each end is a 10-meter zone known as the "try-zone." If you get the ball into your opponent's try zone you get 5 points, as well as a chance to attempt a conversion kick for an extra 2 points. The winner is the one who scores the most points in 80 minutes of play. You have to touch the ball down to score in rugby. That means after you've entered the try zone the ball must be placed on the ground to score. [1] You can also kick the ball through the uprights during free play (with a drop-kick only) or after the referee awards your team a penalty (place kick) for 3 points. [2] 3 Understand the ball can only be thrown backward or sideways. To score tries, offense teams form big horizontal lines, passing sideways and backward until they expose a hole in the defense and push forward. This is the big rule to remember when playing rugby.

You cannot pass the ball forward with your hands or it is an automatic penalty. Whenever passing, you usually pass the ball across your body to get power and throw the ball diagonally to your teammate. Dropping or bobbling the ball counts as a forward pass if it hits your hands then hits the ground in front of you. You can, of course, carry the ball forward. However, any passes by the hand cannot be forward. [3] 4 Kick it forward to pass to yourself or your teammates. While you cannot ever throw a ball forward, you can kick it forward at any time. Once you kick the ball, any teammate that was behind you when you kicked it can run forward and get the ball without a penalty. Kicks are a great way to surprise a defense, or boot the ball way down the field to get your team out of trouble. Players can even kick it to themselves, chipping it over an opponent and running around to pick it up. You cannot kick the ball to a teammate who is already further down the field than you unless you run past them at some point. If a player was behind you at any time after your kick they can touch the ball. If not, they are offside.

[4] 5 Tackle the ball carrier to stop the opponent's attack. Rugby defense is all about making tackles. You can only hit the player currently holding the ball, and you cannot block or screen the other team or other players. When you tackle an opponent, your goal is to bring them to the ground as quickly as possible, preferably with teammates around to quickly help win the ball. General tackling rules include: You must tackle someone below shoulder height. You must wrap your hands around the player, not just spear them with your shoulder. You cannot pick up and drop players, especially on their head or neck. Once down, you must return to your feet before trying to win the ball from someone you've tackled. [5] 6 Form rucks whenever someone gets tackled to keep possession of the ball. When a player goes down, they must release the ball. From there, either team can fight to win the ball off the ground and take possession. This usually takes place as a "ruck." A ruck is when 1-3 players from each team lock into one another, right above the ball (and tackled player), and push each other back and forth in an attempt to win possession.

One player on each team stands behind the ruck and grabs the ball when it appears behind their rucking teammate's back foot. Because the tackled player can put the ball down wherever they want, the team that had the ball first usually controls it. There are a lot of rules and strategy for contesting a ruck, but some basic reminders include: Stay on your feet. A ruck is when at least two players lock shoulders above the ball and try and push the opponent away from the ball. You cannot reach in to grab the ball or push off the ground with your hands. Enter through the center. For safety reasons, you must enter a ruck straight up and lock in with the other team. You must be perpendicular to the end line, and your body must be straight over the ball. You cannot run into a ruck diagonally or from the side. Stay behind the back foot if not in the ruck. Once a ruck is formed, you must stay behind the back foot of your final teammate until the ball comes out, no matter what team gets it. The entire space of the ruck is a "neutral zone" that no players can enter it. [6] 7 Form scrums to contest penalty calls.

When a penalty (such as passing it forward) is called for your team, you get several options of restarts, depending on the foul. One of the most common is a scrum, where both teams form into battering rams and connect over the ball. A scrum is essentially a test of strength. In a scrum, 8 players from each team weave themselves together in rows to create a unified mass. The two teams then go head-to-head, each pushing against the other, with a tunnel formed on the ground in between them. In a scrum, one team throws the ball in the center of the two teams and they push and hook each other to try and win the ball. Scrums suck all the biggest players to one area of the field, leaving the other seven players with much more free space. If your team wins it, you're often off for a big gain. Scrums are perhaps the most dangerous aspect of rugby, and you should not try them without a coach and well-trained, athletic players. [7] 8 Use line-outs to restart the ball after it leaves the sidelines. If a ball goes out of bounds the referee will call for a line-out.

A line-out is like a throw-in in soccer, except the ball must be thrown straight forward. Each team forms a line on the field around the thrower. The team that did not touch the ball last gets to throw it in. They then toss the ball straight in between the two teams, who lift each other up to try and win the ball. The game then restarts as normal. Teams often use signals and codes to win their own line-outs. Basically, a thrower will signal to their team when they will throw it, and their teammates will hoist a player into the air, out of reach of the other team, to grab the ball quickly. [8] 9 Recognize the difference between forwards and backs on a team. Each team is made up of two smaller sections, each with their own positions and strengths. Forwards take part in the scrum, and this is the only real difference between them an backs as far as rules go. However, forwards and backs have evolved their own specialties on the field, making each vital to success: Forwards/Packies: These are the big guys -- the bruisers and muscle-men who power the scrums and win most of your rucks.

Forwards generally take short, powerful runs with the ball, pass less, and do the majority of tackling and defense. Generally thicker and stronger. [9] Backs: The runners and speedsters. Backs form a long diagonal line on offense and pass the ball quickly down the line, to the outside of the field, where they can take on a defender 1v1. On defense they form a wall across the field to prevent enemy backs from breaking through. Generally quicker, backs are good kickers, have solid passing skills, and tons of speed/endurance. [10] 10 Watch professional rugby to discover complex rules, strategies, and nuance. Watch local and professional teams’ matches or practices in order to see how the game is played. You can also watch matches on television or recordings such as DVDs. Watching how a game is played in real life or through recordings allows you to see the intricacies of the sport. There are a lot of small rules, specific situations, and intricacies to rugby that are impossible to learn without playing or watching. Ask questions of fans and/or the referee when confused, and keep learning each game each time you play.

Part 2 Learning the Basic Skills 1 Throw with speed and accuracy by spinning the ball. A good rugby throw is powerful and quick, which protects your teammate from a nasty tackle as they watch the ball approaching them. Practice throwing to your side, not in front of you. To get a good throw, use both hands and focus on accuracy first, hitting your teammates right in the chest every time. Once you feel accurate you can start working on a professional-looking spin. To throw from the right hand: Start with the ball horizontally in front of you. Place your right hand on the back third of the ball, so your palm faces down and your thumb towards your target. Place your left hand on the bottom left half of the ball, thumb pointing left. Bring the ball to your right side, keeping the point of the ball still roughly pointing at your target. Using your left hand for aim and right for power, bring the ball across your body and towards your target. As your hands are almost extended, curl your right hand back towards you, spinning the ball. Release the ball with both hands simultaneously, rotating your wrist completely over on the follow-through. Both arms should be fully extended and pointed at your target, and your arms should stay low, around belly height.

the whole time. [11] 2 Tackle with your whole body, not just your arms. Tackling is a skill that can be developed over a lifetime, but the basics are simple. You want to let your whole body do the work, not just your arms, to protect yourself and to ensure that you bring the guy down. Practice doing the following steps near simultaneously -- keeping your head up, driving with the shoulder, wrapping your arms, and driving to the ground: Set up on the balls of your feet. Make sure you are in a good athletic position for the hit -- knees bent, muscles relaxed, on your toes. Keep your head up and aim for their thighs/stomach. Keep your head up to see contact coming and line up the hit. This is a crucial step for safety. Aim to make contact with your shoulder right at their upper thigh. Slide your head next to their butt to keep it safe and drive in with your shoulder. Wrap your arms around their thighs and pull back. Pull their thighs into a deep hug -- this causes them to lose balance easily. Drive with your legs to bring them down.

Once you've got your head in place and your arms wrapped, you want to push with your legs to bring them down. 3 Attack rucks to shift the balance of momentum in the game . A ruck is your regular chance to keep or steal possession, and a good rucker is an invaluable asset on the team. If you see a teammate go down with the ball and you're nearby, try and be the first one in the ruck. Set one foot over the ball so that it is underneath you, then lean down into a low athletic position. When you've made contact with someone, win rucks using strength and leverage: Get underneath the opponent and push up and out. If you can get your shoulders or head under their chest, you can push them up to throw them off balance, then back to remove them from the ruck. Push teammates from behind to win contested rucks. If it looks like your team needs a boost, push your ruck through like a minor-scrum. Remember, however, that committing more than 2-3 people to a ruck leaves a lot of holes in the defense if you lose. Keep your feet moving through the ruck.

To really crush rucks, chop your feet and push forward with every step. Imagine running straight through the player to the other side. This is called "clearing" a ruck, and it opens up a lot of space. If you're on defense and you can clear a ruck, even if you can't win the ball immediately, you'll throw the other team into disarray. [12] 4 Always be in a position of support for teammates. Rugby is not an individually dominated sport. Even the best player will be unable to do anything without the support of teammates, as there are very few times a solo athlete has space or time to make a play themselves. On both defense and offense you should be in the best possible place to support your teammates, no matter what: On defense, you need to be in a horizontal line with your teammates, sliding left and right to close up any holes the opponent might try to push through.

Once a teammate makes a tackle, you should either jump in the ruck if it is open or winnable or slide to either side of the teammate to make sure the other team doesn't exploit the gap while he is down from the tackle, On offense, you need to spread out, forcing the other team to cover many angles. When a teammate is running, make sure you are always behind them and they have 1-2 people in passing range. If they get tackled, they may try a quick pass to you as they go down, leaving you plenty of time to run. [13] Part 3 Setting Up a Game 1 Find a large, flat field. Rugby can be played in any large field, so long as it is relatively flat and evenly sized. The size of the field will largely depend upon how seriously you intend to play. If you wish to simply play the game with a few friends, a local park with any large field may be enough. However, if you wish to play a proper match, you will need a field with two uprights for the extra point. Contact your local Parks and Recreation department or a local rugby club to find out about proper fields in your area.

As long as you can mark out try-zones for each team, any rectangular patch of grass should be fine. Though the dimensions are slightly different, an American football field can fill in for a rugby field in a pinch. 2 Form two even teams of players. There are three commonly played forms of rugby, where the biggest difference is in the number of players. Real games have 15, 10, or 7 players on each team, but you can play with as many players as you want if you're just with friends. Each player should have: Athletic shoes, preferably with cleats in the bottom. Light, breathable clothing. Water. [14] 3 Decide which forwards will play which positions in the scrum. Forwards are generally placed in position based on the scrum, and their positions does not necessarily impact where they will be during the rest of the game. What matters most is your scrum position: First row. The first row contains three players: the loose head prop and the tight head prop, who grip the hooker in between them.The role of the hooker is to gain possession of the ball during scrums and usually throw the ball in at line-outs.

The role of the loose and tight head props is to support the hooker during scrums, support other players during line-outs and provide strength during rucks and mauls. The props are your two biggest players. Second row. The second row consists of two locks. These are the tallest players in the team and are generally used in line-outs to gain possession of the ball. They drive their shoulders into the props and are the engines of your scrums and rucks. Back row. The back row of forwards consists of three players: two flankers and the eight-man. They clasp onto the two sides and back and control the direction of the scrum, as well as the ball if it squeezes out. Generally these three are your fastest forwards, as they can quickly dart off the scrum when play restarts. [15] 4 Build up your line of backs based on speed and ball handling ability. Backs need to be good with their hands, and the best players need to be the first ones touching the ball. To visualize your back line, imagine the ball on the right side of the field.

Each player will be 10-15 feet diagonally to the left of the other, starting with the scrum-half: Scrum-half: They start the ball from a ruck or scrum, pulling it out and determining the first player to get the ball. They must be light, small, and have considerable endurance to reach every ruck or scrum first. Most importantly, they need to see the whole field and distribute the ball accordingly. Fly-half: The quarterback for the backs. They run most of the kicking and run plays, like skipping a pass or fake passes, to try and break down the opponent's defense. Centers: There are two of them, and they are good overall players who can tackle well on defense, run and pass well in the middle, and kick if need be. They get the ball often and challenge the opponent's back line. Wings: Two wings that stay on each side-line, these are usually the fastest players. Your goal is to get them the ball on the outside, where they can hopefully outrun the opponents wing for massive gains.

Fullback: She/he sits 15 meters or so behind the line, ready to get an opponent's kick, make a last-second tackle, or sprint forward to unexpectedly join the offense and overload a team. Must be versatile, able to kick and catch, and fast. [16] 5 Designate a referee to enforce penalties. There are several ways in which a penalty may be earned, and it is impossible to play the game and keep an eye out for every infraction. Minor infractions will likely result in a scrum being awarded to the other team. Others may cause a referee to take more serious action, giving a penalty kick, a "back ten" (when the team gets 10 meters to run the ball for free), or removing a player for some time. Common offenses include incorrect tackling, collapsing a scrum or ruck by leaving your feet, holding the ball when on the ground, and entering rucks incorrectly. The team awarded the penalty has several options. They can take a kick or punt, which will allow them to gain field position. They can take a penalty kick at the uprights for a chance at 3 points, or they can take a scrum, all in the location of the penalty.

6 Warm up your whole body before playing to avoid dangerous injuries. A game of rugby is physically intense, and you're incredibly prone to injury if you don't prepare. A good warm-up increases blood flow and prepares your muscles for the beating to come. A good, simple warm up to start with would include: [17] 10-minute light jog. Running is an excellent way to warm up for rigorous physical activity. Begin by walking briskly for 5 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of light jogging to prepare yourself for running. [18] Dynamic stretching . Run with high knees, kick your ankle with your heel with each step, do some lunges, jump in place, swing your arms, and skip. These exaggerated, mobile stretches loosen your muscles more effectively than static stretching. Warm up rugby skills. Pass with a partner, take some kicks, and do some light rucking. Get used to rugby specific actions, even tackling at half-speed. Your forwards should do some practice scrums and lineouts, and your backs should get used to passing in a line. Drink water and eat at least 2 hours before playing. Hydration is essential in physical activity.

In order to combat the loss of and increased use of water during exercise, it is important to stay well hydrated throughout the day but especially right before activity. The other essential nutrients used and expelled by your body during exercise are salt and potassium, eating lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and sports drinks/food. [19] 7 Start the game with a kickoff. This is traditionally started by a coin toss, in order to determine which team will have first possession of the ball. You can toss coins or decide who starts in some other manner. Positioned at the center of the field, the team which has first possession will then kick the ball towards the opposition. Most rules state that this must be a drop-kick. It needs to go 10-meters before the ball can be played. If you are on the kicking team, you cannot pass the kicker until the ball has left his foot. After your team scores a try, the other team must kick it off to you again. [20] Community Q&A How can I get a spot on a rugby club team or international squad? wikiHow Contributor Practice and get in the best physical shape you can. Look up local teams and clubs online and reach out to the coach to tryout.

What is done in rugby that's not done in American football? wikiHow Contributor In rugby sevens, how many players are on the field? wikiHow Contributor If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Tips Play some touch rugby-- where two hands is all you need for a tackle -- to learn the rules and basic strategy of the game before worrying about the physical contact. Rugby is a sport meant to be fun, and the aim of the game should not be to injure your opponents; rather, it should be to score tries and kick into the posts. Warnings Rugby is a dangerous sport if you don't know what you're doing. Practice tackling, rucking, and scrumming at half-speed until you have the form down. Wear protective gear like gum shields or scrump caps when playing full contact rugby. It is all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.

Question: How many points is a conversion worth in a game of rugby union?
Answer: Two